Letter from Matlock – 17 December 2010

Dear (Family in Japanese characters),                         7 December 2010
Well, despite the fact that it’s getting closer and closer to winter it feels like it’s just getting warmer and warmer.  I have yet to put on a coat, and one day it even got up to 23 degrees Celsius!  We were sweating even without suit coats!  Just incredible.  Togane is the place to be.
We were meeting with an investigator who doesn’t believe in God and after I offered a prayer he said it was really great that I expressed gratitude for the warm weather.  He’s actually starting to progress!  He’s reading the Book of Mormon even if at 1 page a day, and he’s starting to enjoy it and our little lesson/messages!  It is fantastic to see him taking these little steps that will lead to a mighty change of heart.
So we had Family Home Evening the other night and guess what game the ward family pulled out!  Scotland Yard!  There has never been a trunkier game.
Things continue to get even more nostalgic as my companion has a Praise to the Man CD supplemented with the gloriously rich sound of the bagpipes.  So as you can see there’s a lot working against me right now.  Nothing like Scotland to remind me of America while I’m in Japan.  Somehow I feel like this would only apply to me….
So one of our investigators continues to not answer his phone and doesn’t show up to any appointments that we make…but on the other hand another investigator is all set for his baptism this next Sunday.  Can’t tell you how happy I am for him.  Just can’t.
Oh – this week my dictionary relinquished itself from its cover which held it bound.  And I’d like to point out that this happened after getting a Japanese companion.  Maybe I can say my companion destroyed my dictionary….but that’s alright cause another Elder in our district just went back home and left a nice electronic dictionary for me!  I should get that on Thursday when we have district meeting.  I was planning on going old fashioned paper style for the rest of my mission but this is probably better.
Well I’m off.  Have to go get prepared for this year’s white Christmas.  White because we’ll be wearing baptismal clothes the whole month!  Woo!
(Japanese Characters),
(Elder Wyman in Japanese characters)